eBay wanted me to destroy a counterfeit item but destroying a counterfeit battery is risky
I bought what was supposed to be a genuine Asus 5800mAh battery but what I got wasn't. Filed for return due to it being counterfeit. The battery pack did not have Asus logo anywhere and the English text had a few tygo und ohter obvious errors. I did a test, it only held up to about 1200mAh which is about 20% of advertised capacity.
I opened a return request and reported it as counterfeit. eBay sided with me and wants me to destroy the counterfeit battery.
Now what? Obviously I can't safely destroy a lithium pack and I can't get the money unless I sent them a picture of it destroyed as proof it's no longer usable. I'll just turn it in local recycling and let them deal with it but I need a destroyed battery picture before I can get rid of it
17 comments
jonathanbrightlight
·7 months ago@cloudy_mountain
Are you able to return and provide the exact message you were given, and whether it was from eBay or from the seller?
cloudy_mountain
OP5 months agoForgot about this one. I sent the item to local ewaste and let them deal with it. As for the picture, I grabbed a frame off Youtube of someone intentionally destroying the battery. I doubt Google reverse image search will find the exact source as there's 5 billions YT videos, estimated 10 billion minutes worth of video, which means bazillion individual frames to search.
broto_64
·7 months agoDon't trust the seller, they may act like ebay but I would suggest go here and start reading:
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy/ebay-money-back-guarantee-policy?id=4210
Legally your answer of destroying the counterfeit item would be correct, legally you're also not supposed to mail counterfeit items at all (not even returns)... However on ebay if you do not return the item you may be giving up your right to a refund because that steps outside the Money Back Guarantee.
Personally I would simply return the battery as per the Return for Refund instructions which you should be able to obtain from the Money Back Guarantee page.
krazzykats
·7 months agoCut the power cord in half and take a picture.
á“šá˜á—¢
yo0339
·7 months agoWhat power cord?
krazzykats
·7 months agoI have no idea how to destroy a lithium battery safely, was thinking it was a P/S... getting old, what can I say? And according to my research there is no safe way....🤔
á“šá˜á—¢
qeqo_0
·7 months agoIf eBay did indeed instruct as OP claimed @soh.maryl then eBay would force the refund.
bonanza125
·7 months agoSend it to your local hazardous recycling and be done with it. Don't destroy it on your own or throw it in the trash. Get rid of it properly.
soh.maryl
·7 months agoRespectfully, if the buyer disposes of it himself, how will he get a refund from the seller who sold it to him?
bonanza125
·7 months ago@soh.maryl
OP said EBay sided with them so they received a refund.
soh.maryl
·7 months agoThe OP's original message, although stating that eBay sided with them, did not mention receiving a refund. The OP states that they were told to destroy the battery. Several people asked exactly who told them to do that. My question was legit, does eBay refund without them needing to return the battery?
jonathanbrightlight
·7 months agoSometimes if an item is deemed hazardous to ship back, yes, eBay will force a refund without the option to return it. I’ve never heard of them requiring the buyer to destroy the item, though.
kibble-net
·7 months agoYou shouldn't "destroy" a battery, that's dangerous. You should be recycling it at a battery recycling dropoff location. I guess you can take a picture of you dropping it off there? I don't think ebay will ever ask you to destroy anything, let alone a hazardous lithium battery. Source please?
simba6
·7 months agoAre you sure eBay said that and not the seller? I don't think eBay has ever requested anything like that.
soh.maryl
·7 months agoCan you show us the message where eBay told you to destroy the counterfeit battery?
wastingtime101
·7 months agoIs eBay asking you to destroy it or is the seller? Can you post a screenshot (black out personal info)?
tobaccocardyahoo
·7 months agoAsk an AI program like Bing Image Creator to create a picture for you.